13 September 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

1. HDFC Life elevates Vibha Padalkar as MD and CEO

HDFC Life has appointed ‘Vibha Padalkar’ as its new managing director (MD) and CEO for a period of three years.

Currently, Vibha Padalkar is the executive director and chief financial officer of HDFC Standard Life Insurance.

She is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

The terms of appointment are subject to approval by the shareholders and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

Note: HDFC Life (HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company) is a long-term life insurance provider with its headquarters in Mumbai, offering individual and group insurance.

National Affairs

2. Assam govt to distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double farmers’ income by 2022

According to Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, the state government will distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double the farmers’ income by 2022.

The pump sets will be distributed under NABARD’s Rural Infrastructure Development Project.

60 thousand diesel sets, 11 thousand solar and 30 thousand electrical operated pump set to be distributed and the necessary steps are being taken in this direction.

3. CCEA approves 25 per cent hike in ethanol price

According to the Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved over 25% hike in the price of ethanol produced directly from sugarcane juice for blending in petrol.

According to the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey showed that 20% of people in Tamil Nadu (31% men and 9.8% women) use tobacco.

The national average of 28.6% including 42.4% men and 4.2% women.

Note:

The e-cigarette is a battery run an electronic device that tries to create the feeling of tobacco smoking.

It works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol that users inhale.

7. Retail inflation fell to 10-month low of 3.69 per cent in August

Retail inflation fell to a 10-month low of 3.69% in August on the back of easing prices of fruits, vegetables and other food items.

The Consumer Price Index-based inflation was at 4.17 per cent in July.

According to the data of the Central Statistics Office, inflation in the food basket fell significantly to 0.29 per cent in August as against 1.37 per cent in the previous month.

Note:

Retail inflation means the increase in prices of certain products or commodities compared to a base price.

8. Sushma Swaraj embarks on a two-day visit to Moscow

The union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj embarked on a two-day visit to Moscow to hold the meeting of the 23rd India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Technical and Economic Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).

Mrs Swaraj will co-chair the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Yuri Borisov.

IRIGC-TEC is a standing body which annually meets and reviews ongoing activities of bilateral cooperation in the fields of bilateral trade and investment, science and technology, culture and other issues of mutual interest.

9. Assam CM Sonowal inaugurates Indo-Bhutan Border Centre

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated the Indo-Bhutan Border Centre at Darranga in Assam's Baksa district to strengthen bilateral trade with the neighbouring country.

The Centre has decided to construct 264 km of border roads touching four BTAD districts of the state.

Honours & Awards

10. Manoj Jhalani selected for UNIATF Award

Shri Manoj Jhalani has been conferred with the prestigious UN Interagency Task Force (UNIATF) Award for his outstanding contribution towards prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr Jhalani is the Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

It is in recognition of Government of India’s efforts made in the field of prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases.

National Programme to control NCDs has been scaled up by more than eight times in the past four years and covers all the 36 States/Union Territories now.

Note: UNIATF award will be conferred during the forthcoming Third High-level meeting of the UN General Assembly at the event organized by the Task Force to be held at New York (on 27th September).

Sports

11. Sardar Singh announces retirement from international Hockey

Former India Hockey captain Sardar Singh (32-years) has announced his retirement from international hockey after an illustrious career spanning 12 years.

He (usually plays the centre-half position) made over 350 international appearances for India and captained the national team from 2008 to 2016.

He received the Arjuna award (in 2012) and Padma Shri (in 2015).

Note: Sardara was born in Haryana's village Sant Nagar (Sirsa District).